It is a well known fact that smoking during the months of your pregnancy has many health risks for your baby. Of course, smoking in general has consequences to your own health, but when you’re putting your innocent child at risk the problem becomes a lot more serious.

When pregnant, it can be much harder to quit smoking because women cannot use the standard ways of quitting such as the patch or gum because they contain nicotine which is harmful for the baby. For this reason it is strongly advised that both women and men quit smoking long before attempting to have a baby because tobacco affects both the mother’s hormones and the father’s sperm. Once conceived, the child of a smoking mother can have a low birth weight, underdeveloped lungs, brain damage, and may even pass away before entering the world. Aside from these and many other health issues, children born to smoking mothers are also at a higher risk of developing ADD and ADHD and may have difficulty learning and interacting with other kids in school.

Because children are a gift, make sure to give them everything they deserve, including a healthy life. It is important to plan a pregnancy not only so you can be prepared for the newborn, but also so you can have enough time to quit smoking and get yourself in the healthiest shape ever. Change your future now so you and your baby can live life to the fullest.